The Browstring Napper is a chair designed for napping. It’s form, made by slotting and laminating cardboard, is by a bowstring truss-like structure.

The Bowstring Napper is a chair for taking a nap in the workplace or classroom. Made in a medium size that would fit into a compact room. It is assembled with several modules, which is very simple and easy to transport. Suitable for used in indoor as a lounge chair.

Bowstring Truss
“A bowstring truss is a structural device commonly used in bridge-building and, less often, in industrial architecture. Used to span wide, column-free spaces, it consists of an arched beam (the bow) joined at each end by a straight beam (the string), with diagonal support beams joining the two.”

By Don Friedman / March 15, 2021 / Design, History, Wood / Blog

Le Corbusier Lounge Chair
“The LC3 chair is fitted with thick resilient cushions to guarantee your comfort. The cushions are not only comfortable, but they also contribute to the elegant minimalism of the armchair’s style. Its simplicity is one of the reasons the LC3 chair is favoured.”

Le Corbusier Chaise Lounge (LC4)

“A truss is made up of a web of triangles joined together to enable the even distribution of weight and the handling of changing tension and compression without bending or shearing.” By Using this truss structural fuction, the chair could be strong and structural sideview.

LC3 has a slanted backs and raised legs. This shape makes suitable for sleeping. By referring to this, I was available to make a more comfortable chair.

The Bowstring chair uses 6 manipulation fuctions. Laminating, Folding, Sloting, Removing, Jointing and bending. Laminating cardboard is to make cardeboard thicker and Extend. Stitching & Folding is to make a neat folding surface without slightly scoring the surface. Sloting is to hold the two parts from going apart. Removing material is to allow for tight clearance on folding. Jointing is to avid the structure from sheering. Bending is to insert into objects with different angles

Design Parameter
The Bowstring Chair has 6 special design parameter. Using sustainable Materials(Cardboard sheet, Cardboard box and Glue Gun) and having Less waste it is sustainable. Study for a suitable posture of taking a nap and have reference from Le Cobusier Lounge Chair and research from real life makes the chair appropriate for a napping chair. Using Flat-packing, which the package size is 8” x 20” x 55”, it is shipable. Study of the shape of Truss and Create a way to express by using Jointing make the sideveiw of the chair desirable. By using Slotting, Jointing, Folding, Bending, Laminating, the chair has high understanding of materiality.

Each sheet is cut into complex and calculated figures. The note next to it says how to cut each sheet. It may look like a password, but anyone can cut it in the same size if they know how to read it. This note was made based on a CAD. The note states the size of the sheet, how much of each fold needs to be cut, and how much slots and joints should be cut.

Manufacture

1. Prepare Corrugated Cardboard Boxes(24” x 20”), Corrugated Cardboard Sheets(40” x 60”) and Glue Gun.
2. Make the Corrugated Cardboard Sheet into 20” x 40” to make the Base sheets.
   Make the Corrugated Cardboard Box into 20” x 44” to make the side sheets.
   Use the lefted cardboard to make the slot pieces.
3. Cut the edge of the side sheet to make a perfect edge of the whole piece.
4. Attach the side sheet on the base sheet using Glue Gun.
5. Cut out the Slotting and Jointing Parts by using the reference of ‘Chair diagram Paper’.

The Bowstring Chair is made out of 11 Main sheets and 4 Slot pieces

To assemble the pieces, fisrt, make all of the main pieces into the truss shape. Then, Insert the slot pieces into the main pieces.